20.12.

1987: 4000 People Die in a Sea of Fire and Sharks

Story Highlights

While the boats were sinking, people from the ferry were forced to jump into the sea covered with burning gasoline. The sea on this spot was 545 meters deep and full of sharks.

The naval disaster that killed, according to some estimates, more than 4,000 people occurred at night on 20 December 1987. Namely, the Philippine ferry Doña Paz collided with a tanker carrying gasoline, which caused a fire on both ships. While the boats sank, people from the ferry were forced to jump into the sea covered with burning gasoline. The life jacket lockers were locked on the ferry, so these could not be used. The sea on this spot was as much as 545 meters deep and full of sharks. The Philippine government reportedly took about eight hours to even get word about the accident, and another eight to organize the rescue. Only 26 people were saved. The ferry was officially carrying 1,583 passengers, but even a greater number of people were traveling illegally, so it is estimated that more than 4,000 passengers were aboard the ship.